In 1963, after 95 years of service, Cross Lutheran Day School was forced to close for financial reasons. From 1962-1982, the building was used as a day care. In 1984, the building was sold to Shalom High School, a privately funded alternative school

In 1967, riots broke out over issues of de facto segregation in schools and housing as well as police relations, resulting in the shooting death of one man and the destruction of many of the businesses on 3rd Street. The city was under martial law for ten days.

Just two weeks later, Pastor Joe Ellwanger arrived from Birmingham and found racism just as strong here as it was in the South.

During the 1960s and 1970s, the Black Panthers asked Cross Lutheran to host their breakfast program. The Board of Elders were concerned about indoctrination that could result, and instead formed the Central Cities Citizens for a School Breakfast Program. This program eventually became what is now the Hunger Task Force, an independent non-profit.

In the early 1980s, Cross created a food pantry that began to address growing community needs, later expanding to address spiritual needs, lack of jobs, substance abuse and more. This grew into the current Bread of Healing Empowerment Ministry.

As the level of crime increased and the number of ex-offenders grew, Project RETURN was started in 1981 to address the gaps in service helping ex-offenders transition back into society.

In 1995, Cross' electrical system caught fire, engulfing the entire church in flames. The church was rebuilt, using existing walls and the steel roof beams, which were strengthened by flames.